Wetland Consultation & Delineation

The city of Warsaw, Ind., required an increase in potable drinking water supply from its drinking water provider, Indiana American Water (IAW). IAW utilizes groundwater from the Tippecanoe River watershed. The utility needed to expand its existing water treatment facility, install new wells and expand its access road network.

IAW contracted Burns & McDonnell to perform wetland consultation services for three properties adjacent to the Tippecanoe River to plan construction activities and the placement of borings for additional groundwater wells. Burns & McDonnell wetland specialists performed wetland delineations and evaluated 90 acres of property, most of which was bottomland forest or floodplain surrounding the river. Seventy-seven of the 90 acres were verified as federally jurisdictional wetlands with hydrology provided by the Tippecanoe River.

Burns & McDonnell's wetland delineation services enabled strategic placement of wells, access roads and expansion of the treatment facility within delineated upland areas, avoiding the need for federal and state wetland impact permits. Burns & McDonnell also recommended the avoidance of floodplain areas for construction activities, eliminating the need for Indiana Department of Natural Resources floodplain permit. Additionally, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consultation was requested on behalf of IAW for potential threatened and endangered species issues that may exist on the property. A floristic quality assessment of identified wetlands was also performed to determine the quality of vegetative habitat within the three parcels of property.

• Wetland determination
• Wetland permitting consultation
• Threatened and endangered species consultation
• Groundwater well siting
• Floristic quality assessment